Fluorescent lighting fixture



Dec. 12, 1961 s. FLORENCE 3,01

FLUORESCENT LIGHTING FIXTURE Filed Dec. 16, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR. Mag/2 memo: B Y

Aime/gins Dec. 12, 1961 s. FLORENCE 3,013,146

FLUORESCENT LIGHTING FIXTURE Filed Dec. 16, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 12, 1961 N. s. FLORENCE I 3,013,146

FLUORESCENT LIGHTING F IXTURE Filed Dec. 16, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 4

INVENTOR. woagrmzzwcz Jew q mum 1 ATTOK/VIYJ' This invention relates to the art of lighting fixtures, more particularly of the fluorescent type.

As conducive to an understanding of the invention it is noted that in modern building construction a false ceiling is often suspended from the main ceiling of a room,

for example, to define'a plenum space in which air conditioning conduits, water sprinklers and the like are positioned and a fluorescent type lighting fixture having a translucent plastic difluser panel is mounted in a recess in the false ceiling and extends into the plenum space. Due to the ultra-violet emission from the fluorescent lamps it is desirable that the diffuser panel be as far as possible therefrom to prevent discoloration.

Where the electric wiring for the lamps is positioned above the latter, additional space so utilized would either require that the distance between the false ceiling and the floor .be reduced 2. corresponding amount with resultant reduction in the volume of the room or that the fixture extend a corresponding amount further into the plenum space which might interfere with desired location of the fixture due to the presence of the air conditioning conduits and the like. I

Lighting fixtures of the above type are all of established lengths, generally in multiples of twelve inches, and the recesses in the false ceiling to accommodate such fixtures are also of established length and fluorescent lamps come in corresponding leigths. Accordingly, where to eliminate space for wiring above the lamps, the wiring is positioned between the lamps and the diffuser panel, and such wiring is positioned in a channel that extends inwardly of the fixture at each end thereof, since the distance between parallel channels of a given size fixture would be less than the length of the corresponding fluo rescent lamps, removal and replacement of the latter is precluded.

It is accordingly among the objects of the invention to provide a lighting fixture of the above type thatmay readily be fabricated at relatively low cost, is strong and durable and may readily be mounted with the diffuser panel thereof flush with a false ceiling and which will permit positioning of the fluorescent lamps thereof closely adjacent the top wall of the fixture with the wiring therefor beneath the lamps to permit maximum spacing between the lamps and the diffuser panel with a minimum overall depth of the fixture, yet will permit ready removal and replacement of the lamps with but a simple manipulation and without the need for tools.

According to the invention these objects are accomplished by the arrangement and combination of elements hereinafter described and particularly recited in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings in which is shown one of various possible embodiments of the several features of the invention,

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the fixture with parts broken away.

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan View of the fixture.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3+3 of PEG. 2, and

. FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 44 of FIG. 2.

Referring now to the drawings, the lighting fixture desirably comprises a substantially rectangular housing ll. which illustratively is formed from a substantially rectangular plate 12; which forms the top wall of the housing 11.

The plate 12 has depending walls 13 along each of its side edges 14 which define the side Walls of the housing 11, the lower edges of each of said sidewalls 13 having an outwardly extending flange 15 preferably formed integral therewith and extending the length thereof.

Each of the end walls of the housing 11 is formed by an elongated plate 16 which has an upper portion that defines an elongated casing 17. More particularly as shown in FIG. 1, the upper portion 17 has flanges 18, 19 and 21 at its top, end and bottom edges, the adjacent ends of said flanges being spaced as at 2,2. The inner edge 23 of the bottom flange 21 has a panel 24 depending therefrom which desirably has an outwardly extending flange 25 at its lower edge.

The top and end flanges 18, 19 are'adapted to be positioned over the end edges 27 of top wall 12 and the end i edges 28 of side walls 13 of the housing 11 respectively. Desirably the top flange 18 has a plurality of slots 29 therethrough to receive projections 31 upstanding from the edges 27, so that when .screws 32 extending through flanges 19 and side walls 13 are tightened the end walls 16 will be securely retained in position to form a rigid unit.

Mounted on the inner surface of the casing 17 formed in end wall 16 is a socket holder 35 which as shown in FIG. 1 comprises an elongated channel shaped member 35 having parallel walls 36, 37 with a cross wall 38 therebetween.

As shown in FIG. 1, the Wall 36 terminates short of. the ends of the cross wall 38 and also has a cutaway 39 therebetweem Rising from the cross wall 38 at each of its ends and at the portion thereof aligned with the cut-- away 39, and in the same plane as wall 38, are brackets 41, and 43 each having parallel flangesd i, 45 extending outwardly at right angles to the brackets. The inner flanges 44 of brackets 41 and 43 and both of the flanges are arranged in pairs and the fluorescent lamps 51 extend positioned therein and of depth such that when one end of the fluorescent lamp 51 is positioned in an associated cap the other end will be clear of the wiring channel 35 at the other end of the fixture, for ready removal of the lamps 51 in the manner to be described.

Mounted on each of the side walls 13 ofthe housing 11 as by bolts 55 is a ballast unit 56 of conventional type. To conceal the ballast unit 56 an elongated cover member 57 is provided of length substantially equal to the distance between end Walls 16.

The cover member 57 has a bottom Wall 58 and an outwardly inclined side wall 59 with a flange 61 along its upper edge, the latter having an aperture 62 between its ends to receive a screw extending through the top wall 12 and which has anut 63 at its lower end releasably to retain the cover member in position.

Positioned over the mouth of the housing is a plastic diffuser panel 65 illustratively of the type shown in Patent' No. 2,817,752. The panel as partially shown in FIG. 4

Patented Dec. 12, 1961 is substantially rectangular arid is of translucent light ditfusing plastic. The panel has a substantial rectangular strip 66 extending along two opposed edges thereof and integral therewith, said strips 66 depending from an associated edge 67 of the panel and extending the length of such edge and being inclined outwardly therefrom.

The panel 65 is supported by means of elongated plates 68 secured to the side walls 13 of the housing as shown in FIG. 4. Each plate has an upper portion 69 positioned inwardly of the lower edge of side wall 13 and secured thereto as by bolts 71. The lower edge of portion 69 has an outwardly extending flange 72 which abuts against the flange 15 of wall 13 and the outer edge of flange '52 has a depending panel 73 with an inwardly extending lip 74 that is reversely bent at its inner edges and extends laterally outward therefrom to define a molding 75 for the housing.

The lips 74 on each of the end walls 13 serve as a support for the lower edges 66' of each of the inclined strips 66 of the panel 65. Thus, as the strips are resilient, when pressure is applied to the panel to move the latter laterally toward one of the support lips 74, the strip 66 adjacent said last named support lip will yield to permit such movement of the panel to effect disengagement of the lower edge 66 of the strip adjacent the other support lip from the latter.

The housing is also provided with a molding 76 along the end walls 16 thereof. To this end as shown in FIG. 3, an elongated plate 78 is provided secured as by screws 7 to the inner surface of the lower portion 24 of end wall 16, the lower edge of the plate 78 having an outwardly extending lateral flange which defines the molding 76.

After the dilfuser panel 65 has been removed in the manner previously described, the lamp 51 is removed from its socket by rotation thereof in conventional manner and displaced in a horizontal plane so that at least one of its ends is aligned with a closure cap in an adjacent cutout or opening 52 in one of the end walls 16. Thereupon the lamp 51 is moved so that one end thereof is positioned in the closure cap as shown in FIG. 2 to move the other end of the lamp clear of its associated wiring channel 35.

The lamp is then tilted downwardly, and then drawn out of the cap 59 for complete removal from the housing. To replace the lamp 51, the reverse operation is performed.

If desired the closure cap 50 may be removed com- 'pletely and the end of the lamp moved partially through the cutout 52 into the plenum space until the other end of the lamp is clear of the wiring channel 35. The lamp may then be tilted downwardly for removal as previously described.

With the construction above described, the electric Wiring for the lamp sockets 47, which generally is positioned above the sockets requiring additional depth of the lighting fixture, may extend through the elongated channel shaped portion 35' of the socket holder which is positioned below the sockets. Thus need for additional space above the sockets to accommodate the wiring is obviated and the lamps 51 may be positioned closely adjacent the top wall 12 of the housing 11 as shown in FIG. 4.

As the wiring channel 35' extends laterally inward beyond the ends of the lamps 51 so that the distance between opposed wiring channels 35 is less than the length of the lamps, and as adjacent lamps 51 are in close proximity as shown in FIG. 2, installation and removal of the lamps can be accomplished only by reason of the circular cutouts or openings 52 and cup-shaped cap 50.

Since the plastic diffuser panel 65 must be as far as possible from the fluorescent lamps 51 to prevent discoloration thereof due to ultra-violet emission therefrom, as the extent of discoloration is directly proportional to the distance of the lamp from the plastic diffuser panel, the saving in the depth of the housing must be between the lamp and the top of the housing. With the construc- 4- tion above described this is accomplished by positioning the wiring channel 35 between the lamps 51 and the diffuser panel 65 and providing the cutouts or openings 52 and caps 50 to permit removal and replacement of the lamps.

Accordingly, the resultant fixture is relatively shallow and Since it does not project any considerable distance above the false ceiling into the plenum space, the presence of the air conditioning conduits, sprinkler system and the like in such plenum space will not interfere with the placement of the fixtures in desired locations.

As many changes could be made in the above unit, and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope of the claims, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A lighting fixture for a plurality of fluorescent lamps comprising a substantially rectangular housing having a top wall and parallel end and side walls, at least one pair of spaced lamp sockets rigidly mounted at each of the end walls of the housing adjacent the top wall thereof, one of the sockets of each pair at each end wall being longitudinally aligned to mount a fluorescent lamp therebetween, each of said end walls having a wiring channel extending parallel to the top wall of the housing and extending inwardly of said end wall beneath the associated sockets, the longitudinal clearance between said wiring channels being less than the longitudinal spacing between longitudinally aligned sockets, at least one of said end walls having an aperture between the pair of sockets in the associated wall, said aperture being of dimensions greater than the maximum diameter of the fluorescent lamp to be mounted between each pair of sockets, whereby when one end of the fluorescent lamp is moved into the aperture, its other end is clear of the wiring channel associated with the other end of the lamp so that the lamp may be tilted for removal from the fixture, a translucent diffuser panel of plastic material of length and width substantially equal to the distance between the end and side Walls of the housing and means releasably to mount said panel beneath said lamp sockets.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which an aperture is provided in the other of said end walls between said sockets and a cup-shaped cap is releasably mounted in one of said apertures.

3. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which a pair of socket supports are provided each comprising an elongated channel member having a top and bottom wall with a cross wall therebetween defining said wiring channel, said top wall terminating short of the ends of said cross wall and having a cutaway between its ends, a bracket rising from each of the ends of said cross wall and a central bracket rising from the portion of the cross wall aligned with said cutaway, said brackets extending in the same plane as the cross wall, a socket mounted on each of the end brackets and extending inwardly therefrom at right angles thereto, a pair of sockets mounted on the central bracket and extending in opposed directions at right angles thereto, the adjacent ends of the sockets on each socket support being spaced, means releasably to mount said socket support to the inner surface of each of the end walls of the housing, said aperture being located between the spaced inner ends of each adjacent pair of sockets on at least one end wall, the longitudinal clearance between said channels being less than the longitudinal spacing between longitudinally aligned sockets.

4. The combination set forth in claim 3 in which said housing comprises a substantially rectangular plate having depending walls along each of its side edges defining the side walls of the housing, an elongated plate is provided defining the end wall of the housing, said elongated plate having an upper portion with top, end and bottom flanges, said top and end flanges being adapted to be positioned over the end edges of said plate and the side walls respectively and secured thereto, said socket sup 5 ports being mounted on said upper portion of said end wall.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Mueller et a1 Apr. 30, 1946 Franck et a1 Aug. 29, 1950 Potter Aug. 14, 1951 Florence Dec. 24, 1957 Thallon July 7, 1959 

